WINCHESTER
City hosted a
Saints XI studded
with first team
stars on Saturday
but couldn't avoid a
5-0 defeat to Jan
Poortvliet's new
look side.
Over 1,000 fans poured
into the Denplan City stadiumfor
the game and saw
Michael Svernsson make
his long awaited comeback
after virtually four years
out with injury in a 5-0 win
for Saints.
Having not seen him in
Saints first team colours
since a 1-1 draw against
Hull in November 2005,
most eyes were understandably
on Svensson
during the first half.
And after a slightly
nervy start, he quickly
proved he had no plans to
coast his way through his
pre-agreed 45 minute runout
against the Southern
League Division 1 South &
West outfit.
An early full-blooded
challenge on Brett
Williams showed he was
not afraid to put his body
on the line.
And Svensson almost
grabbed a goal to delight
the travelling fans but his
looping back-post header
landed on top of the net
rather than in it.
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Saints were already 1-0
up by that point through
Stern John, who marked
his first pre-season outing
by turning Jake
Thomson's cutback past
Andy Bayliss, via a deflection,
on 13 minutes.
Right-back Jamie Hatch
limped off on 34 minutes
after taking a whack on
the ankle after a mistimed
tackle by Adam Lang.
His replacement, Jamie
White, set the lively and
overlapping Thomson -
who reverted to right-back
after Hatch's departure -
clear and he centred for
Oscar Gobern to bundle
home the second at the far
post.
Gobern was tripped in
the box five minutes
before the break to earn a
penalty, which Jason Euell
converted despite Bayliss
getting two hands to the
spotkick.
Joseph Mills made it 4-0
on 65 minutes after a
clever one-two with Jason
Euell down the left flank.
Dave Allen almost gave
City's fans a souvenir but,
after shrugging off Aarran
Racine and racing
through, Kelvin Davis flew
to his right to superbly
turn away his effort.
White rounded things
off 10 minutes from time,
converting from close
range after Euell's stinging
drive was parried by sub
keeperWill Harvey to seal
the win.
WINCHESTER CITY: Andy
Bayliss, James Wilson, Adam
Lang, Adam Grey, Matt Bowler,
Steve Llewyan, James Eyles,
James O'Keeffe, Brett Williams,
Dave Allen, Kyle Joryeff. (Subs):
Shane Lewis, Will Harvey,
Moussa, Karl Foster, Ben
Morgan, Rick Staples, Tom
Butcher, Tom Riddell.
● Both City's first and
reserve teams have a number
of pre-season friendlies
to come with the highlight
being the visit of
Watford on Sunday, July
27, kick off 3pm.
First team
19 July v Cowes Sports (a) 3pm
22 July v Wimbourne (a) 7.45pm
27 July v Watford (h) 3pm
29th July v Hamworthy United
(a) 7.45pm
1 August v Bemerton (a) 7.45pm
9 August v Reserves (h), photoshoot
and barbecue, 3pm
Reserves
19 July Whitchurch United (a) 3
22 July v Downton (a) 7.45pm
26 July v US Portsmouth (h - at
Couch Green) 3pm
29 v Andover New Street (a)
7.45pm
2 August AFC Portchester (a)
3pm
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